Is Gavin Newsom, otherwise known as Joe Isuzu, running for president, on the premise that Joe Biden's insentience and corruption scandals will force him to drop out?

Sure looks like it, but not openly.

According to local NBC affiliate KCRA:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is spending the Fourth of July holiday week out of state, not only for a family vacation but also to continue campaigning for Democrats in Republican-led states.

As of Tuesday, the governor was in the middle of a West Coast swing. His campaign spokesperson confirmed the governor is spending part of the week in Montana, where he'd have private meetings with Democratic party officials there before heading to Utah to continue fundraising for the Democratic party in that state later this week.

Newsom kicked off the West Coast tour in Bend, Oregon, last weekend to push for the re-election of President Joe Biden. He then visited Idaho for a small, private fundraiser. The governor posted a video of himself visiting a bookstore in Boise that was selling banned books.

The tour is part of his Campaign for Democracy and the second out-of-state trip for the cause within the last three months. Newsom's political action committee has raised more than $4 million since he launched it in April. The governor has repeatedly said he has no interest in running for president.

Newsom also visited deep red Idaho to tout an "incredible" bookstore that he claims sells "banned" books.

He's not just running; he's also raising money, the way a real campaign does, pulling in, according to the report, some $4 million since April.

He's appeared on Hannity, supposedly to defend Joe Biden's record and status as a "man of decency," which is now particularly laughable, but not stopping him.  When you are convinced that Joe is already political carrion, the eulogies cost nothing politically to let roll.

He's also got members of the mainstream media suddenly throwing his name out there as presidential material to replace Joe, such as in this op-ed from the Washington Times, which was cited by CBS Sacramento, and there have been numerous others.

But hey, he's not running for president.  He just wants to tour the country to praise Joe. 

And everyone knows he's California's answer to Joe Isuzu.

The one guy who's probably less fooled than anyone about this is back at the White House.

While the White House does seem to have a "praise Joe Biden" re-election strategy in place from other Democrats, given that Joe Biden is in no condition to campaign and will have to rely on others to do it for him, the idea that Newsom won't take a little slice for himself has got to be giving him the night sweats.

Vultures are circling now, as the scandals engulf him, and he can't get out now.  The biggest one is named Newsom.

Photo illustration by Monica Showalter based on screen shots from YouTube.